Amanda
A master thief who stole for profit and thrills, Amanda would be many things for Duncan MacLeod, a source of frustration and amusement, a friend and confidante, and also a lover on occasion. Personality Amanda is compulsive, intelligent, sly, manipulative and deceitful toward friend and foe alike, although not truly malicious. For centuries she has lived her life without looking back, uncaring of the chaos left in her wake as a result of her criminal actions. Avoiding stealing from good hearted folk, she primarily targeted banks, museums, and the obscenely rich and wealthy - a character flaw that is later cultivated by others, turning her into a steadfast friend despite the occasional museum caper or estate pilferage. History Amanda was born around the year 820AD, in the Abbey of St. Anne in Normandy, France. Despite being poor and uneducated like most people of that time, she was intelligent enough to realize she would have to steal if she wanted to eat. Her first death was in 850AD, when she was beaten and killed after stealing and consuming food from a plague-ridden residence. Her corpse was to be cast into a bonfire in an attempt to keep the plague from spreading, but was rescued by the Immortal, Rebecca Horne, just as she took her last breath. Rebecca then became her mentor and best friend, instructing Amanda on more than just how to live, she taught her how to survive "The Game", explaining the rules of the game as well as training her in swordplay. Amanda, however, was unable to let go of her past and one day tried to steal the Methuselah's Stone that belonged to Rebecca. She was caught in the act, and humbled by Rebecca's forgiveness of her betrayal. Amanda was so moved by Rebecca's kindness and generosity she resolved to repent and commited herself to becoming a proper lady, living a normal life free of crime. She appeared to be somewhat successful for three years at least, after which Amanda left Rebecca's abbey, a Holy Ground for Immortals. As Rebecca had done with her other pupils, she gave Amanda a part of the Methuselah Stone by Rebecca as a departure gift. Later that same year, during her travels Amanda met up with the Immortal, Hengist the Saxon, who challenged her for her head. Fearing for her life, she ran back to Rebecca's abbey knowing she would be safe on Holy Ground. Rather than console her however, Rebecca advised her to face her demons and stop running, advice Amanda heeded. Facing off with Hengist, she received her first Quickening as a result. She then left the abbey once more, facing an uncertain future. Unable to predict what the future would hold for her, Amanda returned to the one thing she knew best - thievery. With Rebecca's wisdom beneath her belt, in combination with her own street smarts and cunning, Amanda was able to parlay her abilities into a lucrative career choice over the next century. She became one of the most successful, if not notorious, thieves in Europe and North America. Around the year 1182, Amanda is in England, happening across a farm whose inhabitants have been slaughtered by the Normans. She then finds Kenneth, a ten year old Saxon boy who has revived and become Immortal. Becoming his teacher, she assures him that although he is not big enough or strong enough to wield a sword, he can learn to adapt the to The Game using his innocence and youth to his advantage. Together the two become thieves wanted throughout the country. However, the following year Amanda was captured by Norman soldiers while Kenneth hid in some bushes nearby. To prevent the soldiers from raping her, she struck out at the men, forcing them to hang her. Not believing that she would come back to life, Kenneth ran away. Later reviving, Amanda searched for him for 3 years to no avail. In 1297, while traveling in Monaco, she met Immortal Phillippe Canella, who, with a group of men disguised as monks, were assisting Francisco Grimaldi to wrest control of the principality from Ghbellines, convincing her to leave Monaco that very night. In later years, Amanda has run-ins with other Immortals like Vladimir Rankov, Liam Riely, and Jeremy Dexter, whom she became lovers with, and robbed Queen Mary’s treasure, to mention but a few. In 1610, Amanda was in the Netherlands, teaching Even Peyton about his Immortality and how to survive. However, in spite of Amanda’s teaching of moving on from his old life, he wanted his inheritance, so he poisoned his adopted brother in order to inherit his family's estate. leaving Amanda no choice but to expose Even, who fled. Later, Amanda turned up in Florence, Italy, visiting Rebecca. While walking in town, the two women sense an Immortal close by, who turns out to be none other than Duncan MacLeod. MacLeod, clearly flustered at their male dressing and confident demeanor, has his purse stolen by Amanda, but later tracks them down, suggesting the three of them have a drink. This began a long friendship that grew between the three. In Germany's famed Black Forest around 1643, Amanda crossed paths with Dr. Julian Heller, who sentenced her to burn at the stake as a witch along with another woman. Although managing to escape, it came at a price, with Amanda killing the other woman to prevent her suffering. After Heller slipped past her, Amanda swore to kill him one day. In 1720, Amanda decided to travel to the New World, voyaging to Haiti where she became involved with a slave family during the uprising. Promising the family that she will preserve their heritage, she and the family fled the country on board a ship called the Maria Rose. Unfortunately, en route to its destination the ship sank, drowning Amanda and the family, and the locket containing the papers of the family's birthright was lost. Heading to the Far East in 1753, Amanda landed in Turkey, where she learned to become a harem dancer as a cover to steal the sultan’s treasure. Unsuccessful, she was caught and sentenced to have her hands cut off. However, Duncan, who happened to be visiting the Sultan as a military consultant, intervened and got shot in the ass by an arrowhead for his trouble. Returning to the New World around this time, Amanda settled in the United States. In 1776, she was working behind the lines as a camp healer during the American War for Independence. It was at that time that she met Liam Riley again, who by this time was a soldier in the British army. After he accidentally shot a woman trying to protect her pre-Immortal son Sean, Liam became guilt-ridden. Having a religious upbringing himself, Liam vowed to leave the military behind and become a holy man if the woman survives. Caring for the woman, Amanda manages to save her, although later she dies of her wounds. Feeling that his transformation into a holy man is for the best, and knowing that the truth would shatter him, Amanda decides not to tell Liam the truth. Coming back to France in the middle of the Revolution a few years later, Amanda was arrested on suspicion of being a rebel, and sentenced to be guillotined. However, she was saved by the Immortal Talia Bauer, to whom she promises to return the favor. 1804 found Amanda living with Duncan in Bavaria. While leading Duncan to thinking that she had finally decided to change her ways, it was not to be as Amanda stole the Baron Holstien’s treasure, leaving Duncan to face the wrath of Baron and his men. She then escaped with a new partner, an Immortal named Zachary Blaine. Between the year 1819 or 1820, Amanda also stole the Star of India from the Duke of Wellington. Falling in love again, in 1867 she wed Immortal Derek Markham in Manchester, England. Their marriage ended when Amanda reported him to the police after he killed a person he had kidnapped. Pretending to be a wealthy French woman in 1888, Amanda arrived in San Franciso at the Double Eagle, a saloon owned by Immortal Kit O’Brady. Winning the saloon from O'Brady in a game of poker, she renamed it the Queen of Spades. renewing her relationship with Duncan at the same time. A year later, the saloon mysteriously burned down to the ground. Unaware that Kit was in Alaska at the time of the fire, she swore revenge on him despite Duncan telling her not to. Later relocating to New York, she fell in love with the adopted son of silversmith Morgan Kenworthy. After the young man was murdered in a labor dispute, which also resulted in Morgan's First Death, the elder Kenworthy vowed to kill the descendants of his son’s killer. Amanda was also on board the Titanic when it sank in 1912. During the First World War in 1917, Amanda dressed as a peasant girl and robbed a dispatcher. The dispatcher was carrying a message that would have saved an American army unit from death, with a pre-Immortal John Ray Fielding among the dead In 1921, Amanda returned to America, meeting Duncan again. Together, the two begin to tour the American Southwest as part of a circus act, leaving over a pay dispute later on. That same year, the two meet fellow Immortal Cory Raines, a charming bank robber and self-styled Robin Hood. Taking a liking to Raines, she decided to join him in a Bonnie & Clyde-style series of robberies, with Duncan along to dig them up whenever they are shot down in a hail of bullets. Initially successful, this did leave Amanda stepping on Duncan’s nerves. Heading back to Europe in 1936, Amanda posed as a cabaret singer in Berlin while making plans to steal a set of perfectly forged U.S currency plates. Although successful in getting the plates, she asks Duncan to help her when the Gestapo becomes involved. Rebuffed by Duncan at first since he is smuggling a scientist out of the country, Amanda doesn't take no for an answer and ends up stealing a plane with the scientist, flying him and the plates out of Germany and leaving Duncan to hold off the German army. A few years later, Amanda meets up with Duncan again in Scotland, where they meet up with Hugh Fitzcairn for a golf match. When the two discover that Fitz cheated during a previous match in 1720 that involved a decision whether to steal the Stone of Scone or blow up the King's armory, Duncan insists that they go after the stone again. Thinking that the stone was a diamond, Amanda approached another Immortal,Lord Bernard Crimmons, to bankroll their attempt, promising him a share of the loot. Furious when she discovers that the stone is actually a stone. Duncan escapes with it, but when Amanda is caught she implicates Fitz. Duncan then arranged for his friends' release and for the return of the stone with a reasonable cover story using his World War II contacts. After this little escapade, the trio return to Scotland for another golf game. Amanda made her debut in the series in the episode The Lady and The Tiger. In which she was working in a traveling circus as a trapeze artist known as The Amazing Amanda. Soon Zachary escapes from his prison and comes looking to kill her for what she did in 1985. However, she manages to prevent her death at his hands by telling him about a book at a museum in France that she can steal which is worth at least $ 10,000,000 as well as Duncan Macleod’s head. Days later, she sends Duncan tickets inviting him, Tessa and Richie to watch her performance. She meets Duncan after the show and is introduced to Tessa and Richie. She is not pleased when she learns that they know about her Immortality. The sparks fly immediately between Amanda and Tessa, who is less than pleased to find one of Duncan’s old flames around. Sensing the ice beneath his feet thinning, Duncan makes his goodbyes and leaves, ready to make his peace with Tessa. Amanda then goes to see Duncan to tell him that there is an Immortal hanging around the circus, one who doesn’t have her health in mind. She has to work hard to get him to agree to go with her, as he knows her of old and is reluctant to get drawn into her schemes again. They go to the circus, but they sense no one else there. Duncan is about to leave thinking that she is playing games with him when Zachary arrives and fights with Duncan. When the fight is interrupted and Zachary flees, Duncan tells Amanda not to worry since the circus workers will watch out for him. Later Tessa finds some evidence that sheds light about Amanda and Zach’s relationship having been partners in the circus before and that there is a possibility that they are playing him. Duncan is not convinced until Richie follows follows Amanda and sees her meeting Zach. Amanda is confronted by Duncan who demands answers. Amanda has no choice but to tell Duncan the truth about her and Zachary being partners for centuries, how he became dangerous and greedy to the point that she faked her death and framed him for her murder. She also tells him about the plan to steal the book in the museum and she asks to go with her, but he’ll have none of it. To prevent him interfering, Amanda has Duncan overpowered by the carnies, who are to hold him until the morning. She and Zachary are in the museum about to steal the Book when Duncan who has escaped is their and sets off the alarms. Zachary assumes that Amanda tricked him and tries to shot her only for Duncan to save her. When Duncan defeats him, Amanda ceases the opportunity to behead her former partner taking his head and quickening. After the fury subsides, Amanda makes one last attempt to get Duncan to leave with her but he is committed to Tessa. Amanda makes to leave, but is heartened when Duncan calls her back. But it's only to leave the book that she stole. After her mentor Rebecca was killed by Luther (another one of Rebecca's students), Amanda is determined to take her revenge against him, but knows that he is very powerful, so she decides to spend what may be her last days with Duncan. Confronting Luther where he killed Rebecca, the two fight, although Amanda is no match for Luther and is defeated. But before Luther can take her head, Duncan arrives and saves her by revealing that he has her piece of the Methuselah Stone. Knocking out Amanda, Luther turns and faces Duncan. Defeating Luther, Duncan then gives the crystal to Amanda, as a reminder of her mentor. In the third season, Amanda is in Paris when she receives a call from Duncan asking her to help him in mentoring recently Immortal Michelle Webster. She agrees. Amanda later on goes to the Prison where Kalas is being held to try and kill him but this ends up with Kalas escaping. She later tells Duncan what happens. Amanda came visiting Seacouver again much to Duncan’s worry mainly because Kit O’Brady was in Seacouver looking to buy a horse for an upcoming race. Duncan knows that Amanda will likely want to take revenge. Days later Amanda would meet her former pupil Kenny who is hiding from Terrence Kincaid. Duncan doesn’t trust him at all and tries to warn Amanda about him. But she ignores him. However, the pupil teaches the master some tricks as Kenny betrays her and joins forces with Kincaid in search of a double Quickening. Duncan is able to overcome Kincaid, but Kenny is only stopped from taking his head when he is down from Kincaid's Quickening by Amanda's promise that she will take his head if he takes Duncan's. Before the episode finishes, Amanda finds a new friend in Anne Lindsay. After a while she decided to trie and help Duncan and Joe reconcile after the events of the episode Brothers in Arms. When Amanda learns that Duncan has been kidnapped by Immortal Simon Killian, she forces Joe to help her rescue him. Duncan eventually defeats Killian and Amanda cinvinces Duncan to reconcile with Joe. Some months later Amanda is attacked by a mysterious group of men broke into her apartment the night before and tried to kill her. Disturbed by this, She has been wandering the streets and even attacked a man for following her, who just turned out to be attracted to her. Initially, Duncan puts the attack down to peotic justice, but takes her more seriously when she tells him that one of these mortals tried for her head with a sword. Duncan checks with Dawson, but the Watchers know nothing. On the quayside, they spot a man who has been following Amanda and fake an argument to lure him out into the open. They take the man onto the barge and it turns out that he is Amanda's Watcher, Daniel Geiger. Dan says that he saw the men go into Amanda's apartment, but for a Watcher is very fuzzy about the details, prompting Amanda to dub him "the idiot". He tells them that the men left in a van, which Amanda remembers seeing - a green American van. Letting Dan go, they set out to track down the van, with Amanda becoming increasingly paranoid and seeing assassins in every innocent passer-by. Arriving at the last address on their list, they find the owner shot and Amanda recognises him as one of her attackers. As Duncan chases after the killer, who gets away, Amanda asks the dying man why they attacked her and is rewarded with one word - "crystal". As he dies, he clutches at the crystal given to Amanda by her teacher, Rebecca, over a thousand years before. Amanda realizes that someone had recovered the pieces of the crystal to reform the original stone, and that it could only be a Watcher. Amanda later on breaks into the new Watcher’s headquarters to steal back the crystals, but disturbs another thief - Methos. Amanda is infuriated, believing that Methos must have sent the mortals after her for the last piece of the crystal, and tries to take his head, but only succeeds in setting off the burglar alarm. As both Immortals flee empty handed, Amanda warns Methos that it isn't over. Methos wants the crystals, which are said to have belonged to Methuselah and Noah, because they form a stone which makes a mortal Immortal. He doesn't want it for himself, but for Alexa, who is dying in a hospital in Geneva. When Duncan asks him about Amanda, Methos tells him that she attacked him and, when Duncan tells him about the attempt to kill her, turns his back on the Highlander and walks away. Amanda decides to meet him, but on her way to the rendezvous is chased by gunmen in a car and a truck. Arriving flustered, she assumes Methos has set her up and attacks him. Initially reluctant to fight, he backs away, but realising he has no choice, defeats and disarms her, but won't take her head. Calling Amanda a fool, he screams at her in his pain and frustration and she realises that he isn't the one hunting her. In remorse, she decides to help him. Amanada and Methos break into the watcher’s headquarters and find that the crystals have been moved into the vault. As Amanda cracks the vault open, Methos chases a cat around the building, trying to stop it setting off the alarm. Amanda is seen by Stern on the video surveillance cameras and, as she tries to leave, is stopped by him and "the idiot". Methos throws the cat at Stern and Amanda escapes. But methos is caught by Stern who is willing to trade Methos for the crystals. At the exchange Amanda reveals that she has the crystals. Suddenly Stern is killed by Amanda’s watcher who wants the crystals to become Immortal. The exchange is set to take place on a bridge. As Amanda shows that she has the crystals, Geiger kills Stern and his plot is revealed. He wants the stone so that he can become an Immortal himself. In the ensuing fight, Geiger and his men are killed, but the Stone shatters as it is dropped into the river, with only one piece remaining on the bridge as a keepsake for Amanda. With nothing to hold him in Paris, Methos flies back to Geneva that night to be with Alexa during her final days. Life She was reputed to be one of the most prestigious and untouchable of thieves. Through the centuries, Amanda appropriated numerous valuable items considered to be nigh impossible to acquire, whether it be jewels, paintings, money, objects d'art - just about anything that caught her fancy, and she almost ''never got caught. Her side jobs, more for amusement than for actual profit, included harem dancing (1753), acrobatics, larceny, teaching, dealer of antiquities, lounge singer (1936) and casino owner (1888). In Paris in 1993, she was working as a circus acrobatic and trapeze performer billed as "The Amazing Amanda". Upon discovering Duncan Macleod was also living in Paris at that same time - albeit with his lover, Tessa Noël - Amanda sent show tickets to Duncan, Tessa and Duncan's and the newly immortal Richie Ryan. Tessa was conscious of but not reactive to Amanda and Duncan's romantic history, and while Tessa was suspicious of Amanda's motives, she was assured of Duncan's affection and loyalty. Amanda was aware of the other woman's distrust, but disregarded her apprehensions as irrelevant to her agenda. The two women were civil, but hardly friends. Amanda spent centuries moving in and out of Duncan's life as it suited her and together they had too many adventures and misadventures to count. It was this relationship with Duncan that eventually persuaded her to leave her crimminal activities behind her and encouraged her to become a responsible citizen, accountable for her deeds although she didn't always find being culpable pleasant. Despite her good intentions, the chaos was never obliterated as there were those rare occassions when she just "couldn't help herself" and her bad habits would breifly reappear, much to Duncan's chagrin. Alternative Amanda Once when Duncan MacLeod was killed temporarily, he was transported into another reality, one where he had never been born. It is revealed that without Duncan in her life, Amanda never abandoned her criminal way of life and is, in fact, quite evil rather than merely mischievous and reckless. In this reality, she was beheaded by The Hunters and their leader, James Horton, who were still active since Duncan never existed and as such, never put a stop to them. Spin-Offs Gracen reprised the role of Amanda in the spin-off series ''Highlander: The Raven. The show lasted one season, running from the fall of 1998 to spring of 1999 While being investigated for a crime she didn't commit, a police officer named Claudia Hoffman jumps in front of a bullet to save her life, not knowing she is Immortal. Saddened by Claudia's sacrifice for her life, Amanda begins to realize the consequences of her criminal lifestyle and realizes that she has to change her ways. In this time, she meets a pre-Immortal cop, Claudia's partner, named Nick Wolfe. By the beginning of the series, Amanda has settled in Toronto, Canada, still up to her old habits. Making off with yet another priceless jewel collection, even the arrival of Detectives Nick Wolfe and Claudia Hoffman doesn't dampen her high spirits. Things change the following morning when she goes to her regular fence, Harry, but finds him murdered. She is seen leaving and, when they come to arrest her, Nick Wolfe and Claudia find the gun used to kill Harry. Amanda makes her getaway and goes to see Basil, another fence and an Immortal. Basil agrees to fence the jewels, but before he can, he is murdered as well. Realizing the killer must be a cop, Amanda searches Wolfe's apartment, but is arrested. As Basil bails her out, he recognizes the voice of the man who shot him. By then, Nick has put two and two together, but the crooked cop tries to kill him. As Nick and Claudia go to arrest him, Amanda recovers the jewels from his car, only to find herself cornered. Claudia tries to save her and both women are shot before Wolfe kills the bad guy. As Nick grieves for his partner, Amanda rises from the dead and flees, leaving Nick shocked. Later the two team up together, with Nick on occasion asking Amanda for help in certain cases. Soon, Amanda’s ghosts from the past come to haunt her when John Ray Fielding came looking for her, intent on making her pay for causing the deaths of his men during the First World War. Guilt-ridden by what she did, she offers to die for it but Fielding decides to let her live, seeing that she is truly sorry for what she did. With Nick out of town, Myers asks Amanda to help him break into a lawyer's house, to recover evidence that could implicate Wolfe in police corruption. Amanda agrees, but is furious when she finds out that Myers lied to her, as the house belongs to a wealthy industrialist who is found dead. When Nick finds out, he confronts Myers, who tells him a partial truth - the industrialist, Ludwig, was Nick's mentor in the Stasi when he was a double agent in his "Cloak & Dagger" days. He caught Bert when he and Amanda were in the house, so Myers shot him in self- defense. Ludwig had been blackmailing Myers into allowing an Indian environmentalist that he was supposed to be protecting to be assassinated and Myers had wanted the evidence that connects him to the past. With Ludwig's associate continuing the pressure, a plan is hatched and Amanda takes the place of the environmentalist as the final twists of the plot unravel. Nick kills the associate and Amanda exposes Ludwig's final ace - Myers' girlfriend was one of Ludwig's agents and a back-up assassin. Days later, Joe Dawson comes calling to warn Amanda about Andre Korda, whom the Watchers are looking for. When Nick becomes involved, Korda sends his student Krista after her. After a face-off, Amanda emerges as the victor, although she feels that the situation has become too dangerous for Nick, and has Joe tell Nick that she is dead while she flees the country. However, Nick travels to France armed with her sword, intent on facing Andre. Nick's headstrong approach is no match for the thinking Korda, and the hunter becomes the hunted when Korda guns him down. Now it Amanda who is heading for France with vengeance in mind, not knowing if Nick is alive or dead. Arriving in Paris, she seeks help from Immortal priest Liam Riley, trying to locate doctors who might have treated Nick after he was shot. In Chinatown, she finds a woman named Mika, who tells her that she treated Nick, but he died. A distraught Amanda leaves with Nick's watch, only to find she has been set up for a little payback. Nick was rescued by Bert Myers, who has been watching Korda. After a moment of honesty at their "French Connection", Nick and Amanda pick up where they left off - arguing. Using Myers' contacts to gather together seemingly random events, Nick realises that Korda is about to go into the counterfeiting business big time. The police raid Korda's club, but he gets away underground. As Nick and Amanda go hunting for him in the catacombs, Korda's men grab Myers and the scene is set for confrontation. Nick goes after Myers as Amanda graduates at the expense of her former teacher. With Korda dead, Amanda and Myers buy his club, The Sanctuary, and Myers asks Nick to take over his European operations. Meeting her friend Talia Bauer again, she finds that Talia who is working with a scientist to create a virus. Eventually, Amanda steals the toxin from her safe while Nick distracts her. Talia threatens to kill Nick if Amanda doesn't return the toxin, but as the two face off, Amanda wins and lets Talia live - her life for Nick's. But Talia doesn't see it that way and when Amanda takes her head, the "Inferno" of her Quickening neutralises the toxin, leaving no trace that it ever existed. Afterward, Amanda meets up with her best friend and rival Jade. Amanda and Nick recover a painting from Jade, but Amanda realizes it's a fake. Nick's client, Sir Trevor Benton, had no intention of giving up the painting and was donating the fake as part of an elaborate scam. To avoid detection, he arranged for Jade to steal it. When he double-crosses Jade and both girls end up shot, they put aside their differences long enough to work together to give Benton a taste of his own medicine, as they frame him for an attempted break-in at the museum. Amanda would then meet with her ex-husband, Immortal Derick Markham who wants revenge against Amanda. Also Amanada tells her friend Bret Myers that she is an Immortal, although he thinks that she is lying. Amanda and Nick are later on hired to protect the DuPont casino, but when the place is flooded with knockout gas, they succumb and are unable to prevent the clientele being relieved of their cash and jewels. Amanda is the only one not robbed, as the gang is led by former lover and associate Jeremy Dexter. With Interpol investigator Nicolae Breslaw taking a more than professional interest in Dexter's gang, Amanda tries to warn Jeremy to leave Paris, but Nick keeps turning up every time she finds Dexter, intent on arresting him and not amused that he and Amanda are "Thick As Thieves". When it becomes clear that Breslaw is seeking revenge for his dead brother and has a more fatal plan for Jeremy than arresting him, Nick and Amanda conspire to set Dexter up and Nick shoots him. Convinced that Jeremy is dead, Breslaw leaves Paris, leaving Amanda to make her peace with Dexter before he too leaves. Amanda and Nick are approached by journalist Tim Helfet, who is in fear of his life. After they thwart a first attempt, he tells them that he wants them to steal the computer of the aide to an Eastern Bloc Prime Minister, which contains the evidence that the man is betraying his country. Lured by the promise of a stash of diamonds hidden with the computer, Amanda agrees to help, but the attempt fails when they realise that the aide is Immortal Vladimir Rankov and they are forced to flee when he senses Amanda. Amanda realises that Helfet set her up, knowing her past history with Rankov. They track down "The Manipulator" and find that he is a Watcher, determined to avenge the death of his father, who was Rankov's Watcher until Rankov killed him. The discussion is interrupted by another attempt on Helfet's life and Nick kills the assassin, who turns out to be a Watcher sent to kill Helfet for breaking his oath. Nick is tormented by having killed the Watcher and persuades Amanda to return with him to the Embassy. They steal the computer, but Rankov captures Helfet and a trade is arranged. Amanda avenges the past whilst by killing Vladamir while Nick rescues Helfet, who has to leave Paris knowing that the Watchers will never forget him. Amanda would later on encounter the Immortal Sean who is after her friend Liam and challenges him in order to prevent him from killing Liam but she is defeated in the proccess but before Sean can kill her, they are interrupted by Journalist Lizzie Tynan who sees Amanda revive after being killed in the duel. Amanda finds Liam and tells him that the woman(Sean's mother) died. Liam however is determined to hold to his vow not to shed blood again, despite Amanda showing him that he won't survive in the Game. Threatening to kill Lizzie, she shows him that his faith is stronger than he gives himself credit for and, when Nick is unable to stop Sean from coming after him, Liam faces the Immortal unarmed. When Liam refuses to defend himself, Sean is unable to kill the priest in cold blood and is forced to forgive him. A cancelled dinner date sets in motion a train of events that will change things between Nick and Amanda forever. Amanda's friend Janet Ross cancels when her brother, Tom, disappears and Nick agrees to look into it. He finds that Tom Ross was working on a case of computer fraud and unwittingly alerts the thief to his investigation. The thief traces him to The Sanctuary and makes an appearance. He is Immortal Evan Peyton, known to Amanda for centuries, and he warns her to stay out of his business. Nick overhears the conversation and follows Peyton, who makes short work of Wolfe and leaves him choking in a cloud of gas. Later, Peyton tells Nick and Amanda that the gas is slowly poisoning Nick and he has less than 24 hours to live. Undeterred, Nick and Amanda intercept Peyton's ill-gotten gains, with Janet's help. Peyton retaliates by kidnapping Janet. An exchange is arranged - the girl and the antidote for the money. Amanda and an ailing Nick arrive at the rendezvous, but Peyton tries to kill Amanda, who knows there never was an antidote and takes his head. Nick is fading fast and, knowing that no hospital can help him even if he was not "Dead On Arrival", Amanda makes a decision and shoots him, his violent death triggering the Immortality . When he revives, he is horrified to find himself in the Game and walks away from a distraught Amanda. Personality and relationships Amanda is innately manipulative and scheming whether it be toward friend or foe, doing whatever's necessary to achieve her goals. For centuries she lived her life with a cavalier attitude, scornful toward responsibility with no sense of moral obligation and with no remorse for her actions. Yet despite her mischevious and wily nature, she rarely stole from people that were genuinely good hearted, chosing to steal instead from primarily banks, museums, or the immoraly rich and wealthy; whatever suited her purpose at the time and provided the biggest challenge. Extremely confident and cunning in personality as well as trade, Duncan once compared her to a shark, a term he also applied to the equally manipulative Methos. In keeping with her foxy character, she has been known to exhibit a somewhat "catty" attitude towards those who scorn her as shown by her famous comment after being provoked by novelist Carolyn Marsh, "She called me a cheap whore and a thief - I was never cheap!" Important Personal Associations: Duncan MacLeod Amanda's relationship with Duncan MacLeod was unique. She and Rebecca met the newly Immortal Duncan MacLeod in 1635. Her relationship with Duncan became an intimate one and continued off and on for centuries. They partook of many adventures together, such as the robbery of the Stone of Scone (1950) with Hugh Fitzcairn and the bank robbery days ala Bonnie and Clyde with Cory Raines (1926). For most of these adventures, or misadventures, Duncan is a grudging participant, taking part in the shenanigans mainly as a means of watching over Amanda. She generally appeared in his life whenever she found she had need of someone trustworthy, be it his sword for protection or his indulgant nature in carrying out some nafarious task Amanda herself was unable to accomplish alone. Decades could pass without them seeing one another but when they did meet up, the time they spent together was passionate yet never long term. Not one to stay in one place for very long, Amanda would exit from his life as unexpectedly as she entered and while Duncan certainly felt her absense, he didn't truly endeavor to make her stay. Amanda manipulated him to do her bidding without hesitation or remorse, and although he appeared to be aware of this fact, he more often than not went along for the ride, more disgruntled than mad. However, despite her devious mechanations, she was loyal to Duncan, as he was to her. Though the two never expressed love for each other in the plain and simple sense, it is could be seen in their allegiance and devotion to each other's causes. Both had other liasons throughout their lives, but fate would eventually lead them back to one another. In the series finale, Duncan admited his love to Amanda and told her that she "made his heart glad." Methos She also develops an ally and complex relationship with Methos, the only person that can match her manipulative ways. Methos and Amanda sometimes can be very cunning, especially toward Duncan MacLeod. Their relationship is like siblings or good friends. Their relationship is once strained because of the Methuselah's Stone. Amanda owns a part of a stone, which was Rebecca's crystal. A bunch of mortals and a renegade Watcher try to kill her to steal the crystal and she suspects Methos is behind it. Methos needs the crystal to cure Alexa, his terminally-ill lover. After knowing his intention and that it wasn't him who was trying to kill her, she helps Methos steal the crystal. But Methos gets caught by the renegade Watcher, and Amanda decides to exchange the stone for his life. The stone is broken and falls into the river, and Methos has no chance to save Alexa. Amanda can only give him words of encouragement. Methos is also the only person she can turn to when Duncan becomes more brooding after Immortal Steven Keane, who shared the same points of view in life as Duncan, challenges him. Fearing for his life, Amanda begs Methos to help Duncan. Both Amanda and Methos understand each other and the dilemma of being an Immortal. Both of them know that life is about changes, and about accepting who you are, good or bad. In the Reunion special, it is implied that she and Methos may have had a sexual relationship sometime before meeting the woman he was going to marry. Kenny 800 years ago, Amanda found a 10-year-old Immortal boy named Kenny and taught him about The Game and how to survive it. Being killed so young, he will forever live as a child, thus learns fast that his main weapon is his innocence. After Amanda is captured by the soldiers that have killed him and his family, he runs away. Amanda survives, but isn't able to find him. In 1995, she once again meets him. Kenny, however, is no longer the boy she had met. He betrays her and Duncan to Terence Kincaid who has a grudge against Duncan. Amanda is heartbroken with the idea that Kenny is not a boy, but more a man in a child's body. She always considered him as a son that she could not have, forgetting that he is an Immortal who has grown up and only wants to win The Game. Derrick Markham Just like Duncan MacLeod, who had been married only once (as far as we know) in the past, Amanda apparently also married an Immortal named Derrick Markham. They were separated and estranged for 132 years. Amanda betrayed him to the authorities because he was a brutal criminal. In 1999, Amanda defeats him in a battle, because he wants to kill Amanda and her friends. Characterization Executive Producer Bill Panzer thinks Amanda is "a beautiful, funny, international grand thief kind of character, who's crazy mad about MacLeod, but also crazy mad about her own freedom. And when Amanda comes into his life, if he's free, they have a moment. And she generally slips off into the night."2 Amanda in The Game Amanda in battle With no real interest in winning The Game, Amanda instead focuses on staying alive, and so has minimized the number of duels she participates in. When faced with another Immortal, she typically runs or cons her way out of battle, or has to be rescued by a friend like Duncan MacLeod. (Her tendency to use others to fight for her is evident in the number of Immortal friends and partners-in-crime that she accumulated.) On occasions where she seeks out a battle, she almost always meets with disaster. Because of this, despite her long life, it can be assumed she absorbed a relatively low number of Quickenings. During the original series her swordsmanship appeared to be less-than exceptional, and in fact she was never actually shown fighting a winning battle, even against an unarmed Kalas. Her skills receive a considerable upgrade after she meets Nick Wolfe and decides to redeem her life. Somehow, she suddenly becomes a highly-skilled fighter, engaging in and winning numerous battles in a relatively short time. Below are the Quickenings seen in the original series and The Raven series: Hengist the Saxon, 853 ("Methuselah's Gift") (First beheading) Zachary Blaine, 1993 ("The Lady and the Tiger") (Duncan MacLeod defeated Blaine, but Amanda beheaded him) Mario Cardoza, 1998 ("Full Disclosure") Stefan Collier, 1998 ("Immunity") Wilson Geary, 1998 ("Passion Play") Crysta, 1998 ("A Matter of Time") Andre Korda, 1998 ("The French Connection") Frank Brennen, 1999 ("The Rogue") Talia Bauer, 1999 ("Inferno") Derrick Markham, 1999 ("Love and Death") Vladimir Rankov, 1999 ("The Manipulator") Dr. Julian Heller, 1999 ("The Ex-Files") (Beheaded by Nick Wolfe) Evan Peyton, 1999 ("Dead on Arrival") Appearances Episodes - "The Lady and the Tiger", "The Return of Amanda", "Legacy", "The Cross of St. Antoine", "Rite of Passage", "Finale", "Finale Part 2", "Double Eagle", "Reunion", "The Colonel", "Methuselah's Gift", "The Immortal Cimoli", "Dramatic License", "Money No Object", "The Stone of Scone", "Forgive Us Our Trespasses", "To Be", "Not To Be" Raven Episodes - "Reborn", "Full Disclosure", "Bloodlines", "Immunity", "So Shall Ye Reap", "Birthright", "Crime and Punishment", "The Unknown Soldier", "Cloak and Dagger", "Passion Play", "The Devil You Know", "A Matter of Time", "The French Connection", "The Rogue", "Inferno", "The Frame", "Love and Death", "Thick as Thieves", "The Manipulator", "The Ex-Files", "War and Peace", "Dead on Arrival" Books - White Silence, An Evening at Joe's References ^ a b c Episode "The Lady and the Tiger", Bonus material, Article: "Amanda", in Highlander: The Series (season 1) (DVD, Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2001), disk 6. ^ Episode "The Lady and the Tiger", Bonus Material, Bill Panzer's interview, in Highlander: The Series (season 1) (DVD, Davis-Panzer Productions, 2001), disk 6. =Miscellanious Information.= *Amanda was intended to be a bisexual Immortal character. Here's a list of all of Amanda's known Watchers: Category:Females Category:Immortals